composition

Here's a simple composition tip - try to avoid merges. Merges are places where lines intersect in such a manner as to distract and run together.
Note the first photo in the post. It shows the grain silo merging with the hill behind it. This causes confusion in the viewer's eye. It takes the image out of balance and flattens the scene making it look more two-dimensional.
Look at the second shot - the black and white. Notice the clear separation between the top of the grain silo and the hill. It makes for a more balanced and pleasing … [Read more...] about Photo Composition Tip – Avoid Merges

If you've ever had the opportunity to visit an iconic building like the US Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. or the Vatican Museum in Rome (home of the Sistine Chapel), you probably looked up and admired both the workmanship and beauty above you. That same feeling can be conveyed in photographs, and these tips are designed to help you take home photos that you can proudly hang on your walls (or ceilings!)
1. Lie Down and Look Up
Everyone has seen iconic landmarks like the Eiffel Tower from straight on. But if you get very close and very … [Read more...] about Look, Up in the Sky! Three Tips for Better “Looking Up” Photos

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Ive always admired beautiful frames. From heavy, gilded gold frames holding oil paintings and hanging in museums around the world, to more modern approaches, such as the refined white painted frames often seen in photo galleries and exhibitions, a frame can contribute to the overall presentation of an image in a profound way.
The same can be said of in-camera framing. Over the years, Ive been drawn to natural and man-made frames when taking photographs. Car windows, rock formations, people standing in a crowd, and even your own hands … [Read more...] about Four In-Camera Framing Tips

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS by Nicole Young, Rich Legg & Other iStock Contributors
One of the most common problems facing new photographers - and some of us OLD photographers - is finding a great composition. Like pizza, it's a matter of taste, but there are some fairly standard agreed-upon guidelines for a good composition. On March 20 I wrote a piece for the blog called Five Composition Tips. I've decided to expand on this. I also want to note these are GUIDELINES, not rules. For each of these points you could make an opposite artistic argument. … [Read more...] about 25 Photo Composition Tips

Author: Harold Davis
Publisher: Wiley
Review by Conrad J. Obregon
Instructing photographers about creativity is hard. Its not like technique where there are rules, like use a large f-stop if you want to limit depth of field, or use a shutter speed equal to one over the focal length for a hand-held shot. Its not even like discussing composition where you can say, all things considered, its better to apply the rule of thirds. Instead an author has to tell a person how to see.
Its hard to review a book on creativity, since each reader seems to … [Read more...] about Creative Composition: Digital Photography Tips & Techniques

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Composition is an extremely important aspect of photography. Not only do you want your subjects to be positioned in a pleasing part within the frame (usually on a third-line) you also want to make sure that they are not pushing your viewer's eyes too far to the edge of your photo.
One way to avoid this is to find triangular "flow" within your image. In the image above I have three main objects: a devil, a man, and a contract. My intention was to get the viewer's eyes to circle around the photo without naturally being drawn … [Read more...] about “Find a Triangle”

Photographs Rick Sammon
The Road picture Scott critiqued was cool. The first thing I saw was the S curved of the road. The S curve has been used by photographers (and of course painters) to add interest to a photograph be it a landscapes, seascape, wildlife, or fashion photograph.
So, I went through my files and found some of my images that feature the "S" curve.
Try seeking out or creating the S curve when you are photographing.
For more S curve images, do a google search. Among the photographs you'll find are some captivating images by … [Read more...] about Sammon’s Short and Sweet Shooting Session #7 – Seek Out the “S” Curve

Understanding Composition
Author: Steve Mulligan
Publisher: Photographers' Institute Press
Review by Conrad J. Obregon
It may or may not be hard to understand the technical elements of photography, like exposure, focus, depth of field, tonality and color correction, but putting all of these together to create an image that is pleasing, that is, composing the photograph, is the real test of a photographer. In this book, Steve Mulligan offers some of his ideas on the subject.
After offering a few comments on equipment, the author deals with … [Read more...] about Book Review: Understanding Composition

a. Shoot a frame within a frame using minimal depth-of-field, with leaves, tree limbs or other framing devices in the foreground.
b. Give your subjects plenty of room in the frame to breathe. Avoid having the subject too close to the border, which makes it feel crowded.
c. Watch out for merging lines. If these merging or intersecting lines get in the way of the subject of your photo, they will be very distracting.
d. If you're photographing moving subjects, try to photograph them moving toward you. When you do this, you can usually get away … [Read more...] about More Composition Tips

Trying to decide which composition best suits a scene is something that takes an eye for detail and some practice. But to make the path a bit easier, I've included some basic tips.
a. Know what NOT to include. Simplify, simplify, simplify. As you look at each element in the scene, ask yourself, "How does this element make the photo stronger?" If it doesn't, simplify and remove it.
b. Remember that the closest object tends to dominate the foreground. If this is what you want to accomplish, no worries. But if the foreground object is simply in … [Read more...] about Five Photo Composition Tips

I've written here before about lines - specifically leading lines. But there are all kinds of lines that can help you compose a photograph more interestingly.
If you're in a photographic rut, start looking for lines. There are lines everywhere and they make great compositional elements.
Look for diagonal lines, horizontal lines and vertical lines. Look for straight lines and crooked lines.
Give yourself a photo assignment. Grab a camera and a medium telephoto lens and go out looking for lines. Look for single lines or repeating … [Read more...] about Lines, Lines Everywhere A Line

Happy New Year - I wanted to be sure to start 2009 with a tip so here it is.
I made this image in Alaska. I liked the reflection from the seal and decided to use the leading line to draw the viewer's eye into the picture and directly to the subject.
Reflections can be strong compositional elements in a photo in addition to just being pretty to look at. … [Read more...] about Use Reflections as Compositional Elements

Let's talk about leading lines. You can use leading lines to bring the viewer's eye into the picture. In the example above, I use the ladders and rails to bring the viewer into and eventually out of the photo. Since I think all good photos should have the same traits of a good story, i.e., a beginning, a middle and an end, I like to use lines, especially leading lines, to draw the viewer in.
Roads are especially good subjects when you want to use leading lines. This simple shot of telephone polls in Washington's Palouse country is made … [Read more...] about Composition – Leading Lines

I gave a 'tip' on an episode of TWiP a while back that stressed how simply taking a step or two forwards/backwards/right/left can radically change the composition of a photo. So on my recent trip I took a quick photo example of exactly this.
The two images shown here were shot from locations that were about five feet apart. The one on the top was my first view of the subject as I got to the top of a little hill. I didn't really like it much - the tree in the foreground pretty much obscures the two pieces of the castle ruins and it didn't … [Read more...] about Change Composition by Taking the Right Steps

Be on the lookout for intruders trying to make their way in to your pictures. Branches, out of focus grass blades, telephone wires - all these and more can act as distractions.
Most camera viewfinders show only about 92-95% of the image. Keep that in mind while photographing. You may want to try shifting your camera around to see what's at the edges.
Some intruders are hard to see in the viewfinder simply because they're too close and not in focus. When you get your pictures back you see things you didn't see before. Remember, you're looking … [Read more...] about Beware Intruders

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